The will of Godfrey Dearborn of Hampton, 1680

I Godfreey Dearbarne of Hampton in the provenc of New Hampshier in New England Being aged and Inferme of Body * * *

I give and Bequeath Unto Dorothy Dearbarn my loveing wife for the term of her life my Dwellinng House & Barne & orchyard and the Use and Improvementt of all my land both Areable land pastuer & marsh land for her Comfortable subsistenc Duering the terme of Her life, and the use and Improvementt of all my moveables within Dores and withoutt Duering the terme of her life

Itt I doe Give and bequeath Unto my Grand Child Ann Shatredg that now liveth with mee one two year old Heffer which she is to Receive att the End of Her time yt she is to live with mee

Itt I Doe Give Unto my sone Thomas Deararne my Dark Browne horse which I Use to Rid on

Itt I Doe Give Unto my son Thomas and Henry Dearbarn all the Rest of my Cattle thatt shall Remaine att the Decease of the longest liver of mee or my wife Excepting Sheep and swine which are other wayes Disposed of

Itt my will and pleasure is thatt all the Sheepe and swine that shall Remaine att my wives Decease shall be Equally Divided betwixt all my Grand Children yt shall be then living: and the Division to be made by my Executors & over seers

Itt I Doe Give and Bequeath Unto my Son John Dearbarn my House barne and house lott and all my land both Areable land pastuers medows & marshes and all Towne Rights and priveledges thereunto belonging and all my tooles and Carts & other Implements of Husbandry: and I Doe appointt my son John Dearbarne to bee my Exectuer to this my will and the Estate the which he is to Enter Upon and possesse att my wives Decease and to bee and Remaine to him and his Heires for Ever

Itt I Doe ordaine and Appointt my two Eldest sons Thomas Dearbarne and henry Dearbarne to bee my over seers to this my last will and testamentt whom I appointt to see to the managmentt of my Estate thatt my wife may have a Comfortable living outt of itt Duering the terme of her life

And for whatt Houshold stuff I shall leave thatt my wife shall have the use and Improvement thereof Duering the terme of her life, and then to bee Equally Devided Between my three Daughters only leaving itt to my wives liberty to Dispose of whatt was her owne before I maried Her viz one fether Bed & boulster & Rug & Coverlett and her Greatt Bible & her Red flannell petticoate to ye wife of John morse

And this my last will and testamentt I Conferme with my Hand & Seale Affixed therto this fourteenth Day of December in the year of our lord one thousand Six hundred & Eighty

His
Godfrey Dearbarn X [seale]
Mark & Seale

Signed Sealed & Declared
to bee ye last will of Godfrey
Dearbarn in pr of
Samuell Dalton senr Mehetable Dalton

Province of New Hampshire June 7th 1711 Philemon Dalton personally appearing before the Honourable Richard Waldron Esqr Judge of probate of Wills and Granting Letters of Administration within the said province made oath that he was present when his Mother Mehitabell appeared before Justice Green and made oath as a Wittness to this Will as is incerted in the Margin thereof./
Richd Waldron

And further by the Compareing of Several hand writeings of mr Samuel Dalton a wittness to this will I am Satisfied that the Said Will is Legally Signed & Sealed And therefor it is proved Approved and Allowed off
Richd Waldron

To his Excellency ye Governour & Councell sitting at portsmouth may 10th 1711 the petition of John Dearborn of Hampton in said province humbly sheweth--
that your pitioners father Godfree Dearborn of Hampton Deceased about 26 years since, the witneses to his Will & testament the one of them Dyed before ye testater by Reason of which the Will above said Will not be accounted well proved before the Judge of probats, your pitisioner humbly prays your Excellency & Councill Would Receive the testimoneys to prove, the deceased Witneses hand, which is Generell known he being for many years a Justice of peace, & Clerke of ye town and so to order that ye said testiment may be Executed, by the Executor otherwise there will be a foundation for Controversy here after
Which your pitisioner humbly prays
John Dearborn

philemon Dalton was prsent when his Mother Mehitabell appeared before mr Justice Green made oath as a Wittness to this will as incerted in the Margin
And further by Compareing of Several hand writeings of mr Samll Dalton a wittness to this will, the Judge of the Probates is Satisfied that the Said will is Legall signed & sealed and therefore Allows and Approves
[Probate Records, vol. 3, pp. 253, 254.]